A Cup of Tea
by PinkyJade
Summary: As a child Uchiha Itachi was just Sasuke's older brother, one day changed her opinion of him forever. Now Sakura and Itachi share a special bond, one that was formed on the basis of a shared loss. However, the bond they share is raising questions in both of their hearts. Meanwhile, the world around them is beginning to change in more ways than one.(Sakura/Itachi) (Non-mass).
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own anything

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Chapter One

The sight of the name engraved into the stone of the ninja memorial still caused the young Sakura to questioned her teammates' actions during their Chūnin exam. Uchiha Sasuke had been her friend, her teammate, and her heart's first childhood crush. However, Sakura had always been unsure about how he felt towards her, or for the fact Naruto. Even though the boy had a loving family and for that matter an adoring older brother, the young Uchiha was always a little aloof when it came to feelings. Perhaps it was a trait of his clan, to not be open about their feelings, but Sakura would never know why Sasuke was always distant, as he wasn't around to ask anymore. Six years ago, at the age of twelve Uchiha Sasuke had died in the Forest of Death during his Chūnin exam. The second son of the honorable Uchiha's clan head had not died because he was weak or could not handle the rigors of the Chūnin exam. Sasuke had died saving her, Sakura , from an attack that was meant for her.

Looking at his name on the memorial in front her, the image of holding him close to her body as he died play through her mind. When they had been attacked by Orochimaru, the Snake Sannin had targeted her and not her teammates. To this day, no one knew why Orochimaru wanted her, but he had. In the heat of the attack, Naruto had been knocked out, leaving Sasuke and herself against the leader of Sound. However, one spilt-second changed the course of Sasuke's life. When Orochimaru's snake-like head came flying towards Sakura, he jumped in front of her and received the curse seal that was meant for her. ANBU soon came flying onto the scene to attack the enemy, and in shock, Sakura held Sasuke as the seal began to slowly kill him. With tears running down her face all she could do was ask him why, and his last words were ones that she would never forget.

"You and Naruto taught me what friends are Sakura," he had struggled as he gasped for breath. "You taught me how to protect those that I am not duty-bound by blood to do so," he added as his eyes began to grow heavy. "Tell my family that I love them Sakura, and thank you for being my friend," he whispered before his heart stopped beating. Sasuke Uchiha had died in her arms, and there was nothing she could have done to stop him from doing so. In all her life she had never felt so weak then she did when she let her one of her best friends drift away in her arms. The moment had not only changed Sasuke's life but had given meaning to Sakura's. For as she held the body of the boy she cared for deeply, she vowed she would never lose someone she cared about again.

At eighteen, Sakura had become stronger than she was the day in the Forest of Death. After Orochimaru had killed the Third, and Tsunade became Hokage, Sakura had decided to become a medic-nin. Soon, she became none other than the new Hokage's student. The years since Sasuke's death, she and Naruto had become chūnin together then jōnin. They managed to stay close and the same team until Naruto had become a part of the ANBU first, only resigning after a year to become a teacher to a genin team that he felt drawn to. While she had become stronger since the death of her genin teammate, and now was a part of ANBU team herself, she felt like she was still not over Sasuke's death.

 _Why had he saved her?_

His last words were never going to be enough explanation for her, and there would always be something in the back of her head wondering why? Why? She was not important to the village, her death would have meant nothing. Sasuke's death had, his clan had mourned for him officially for a year, lamenting him as a hero who had saved his team. An honorable death, his brother had told her, once in passing in perhaps a form of comfort. However, Sakura even knew the Uchiha Clan wondered why it had been Sasuke who died and not her. Despite being second born, the clan had loved Sasuke in their own way. Especially Itachi, he had loved Sasuke more than life itself, and after his death, the then seventeen-year-old had accepted a solo mission to try to kill Orochimaru. Two years, later he had come back only after driving to the Snake Sannin into hiding. It seemed the prodigy had come too close to killing Orochimaru one too many times, and the Sannin had disappeared into the night much to Kohana's dismay. Even now, they had not heard a word of where Orochimaru was, and sometimes Sakura dreamed that perhaps the head of ANBU had managed to kill the monster.

"Sakura," a deep voice that always managed to send shivers down her spine, no matter how many times the owner of the voice said her name. She knew the voice well, as it belonged to none of their Uchiha Itachi, Sasuke's brother, and her superior in ANBU.

"Itachi," she replied as he sat down on the wooden bench next to her. Without words, she handed him the extra mug of hot tea she had brought along, and he took it, nodding in approval that she had made it how he liked, strong with lots of honey. Along the years, the somehow had started the tradition of starting their Thursday's morning drinking tea in front of Sasuke's name on the memorial. At first, it had been her tradition, but when Itachi had come back he began doing the same. They came on Thursday's because Sasuke died on a Thursday, and the drink his favorite brand of tea, which much to Itachi's displeasure was bitter, hence the unhealthy amount of honey Sakura put in it for him. Just like his brother, Sakura wasn't sure how Itachi felt about her. Before she had become ANBU last year, the only interactions they had together were their Thursday's mornings. Their mornings spent together were different, they were personal, in fact in front of the memorial was the only time they spoke to each other using their first names. In fact, it was the only time they spoke more than what was necessary. The pair's dynamic was odd, and Sakura always chalked up to the fact, in Itachi's eyes she would always be one of the reasons his little brother died.

"How was Mist?" Itachi asked, after a few moments of silence. "From your mission report I could tell it was rather intriguing," he added. As Head of ANBU, he was not only the captain of his own team but in charge of deciding which team went on what missions, and reported only to Hokage and no one else. Also, it was his duty to know everything about each and every ANBU, which also unnerved Sakura. Behind those dark eyes of his, he knew every detail about her life, private and personal, and yet she barely knew anything about his.

"Intriguing," she answered before taking a sip of her tea. "Just like the mission report stated, it was rather long too. I don't like being away from Kohana for almost two months like that," she added.

The man next to her nodded, "I know. You cannot blame me for that, it was only supposed to be two weeks. I wished it had last the timed planned, I had to drink tea alone for the past two months," he paused as he looked at the tea. "I have to say, you are the only one capable of making this brand of his decent," he murmured.

Sakura stilled and sighed. She knew Itachi actually drank the same brand that Sasuke loved, but in the past year, Sakura could no longer stand the taste of the tea. So, she switched the brands, using hers instead of Sasuke's. A part of her felt guilty, but when she had switched the tea it had been the first time she and Itachi actually talked. It was the day before her ANBU exam, and he not only sang her praise for finally making the tea taste decent, but he also wished her luck on her exam. It seemed, even the ANBU captain had not been able to detect the fact that she had switched tea brands.

"Itachi," Sakura began looking at her captain. "I have to be honest with you," she paused as his dark eyes caught hers. "I haven't been using that god awful brand of tea for the past year," Sakura stated.

Itachi was his usual emotionless self for a few moments before his lips turned up into a small smirk. "It was about time we stop torturing ourselves with it," he said. His words causing a wave of relief to rush over, Sakura. He was not made like she thought he would be, but instead, he seemed amused.

"I still have to use half a jar of honey to get any tea sweet enough for you," Sakura replied. It was odd, the most intimate thing she knew about him was how he liked his tea.

He nodded, "I like sweet things," he offered. "I always have, my mother used to hide the sweet jar from me. In fact, she still does, it is always in a different spot when I come over to visit."

"You don't live in the compound anymore?" She asked. When she was younger, and Sasuke was still alive, she knew Itachi lived in the room right across from his younger brother. In fact, Sakura had even seen the brooding older brother storm into said bedroom one too many times when she was a genin.

"I do, but not in my parent's home," he clarified, tilting his head. "I believed you moved out of your childhood home as well. Or that's as far as I've got into your file before I found the task unnecessary," he said. Itachi had only been Head of the ANBU for about three months, a job that rumor had it, he didn't want. Instead, the Clan had insisted he take it, and so he did. Sakura knew he spent the first month or so familiarizing himself with the very detail files of ANBU personnel. The fact that he admitted to not finishing hers, made her somewhat unsettled.

"My mother passed and my father left us three years ago," Sakura admitted. Her family life, or now the lack of it, was not something that she openly talked to people about. Not even Naruto knew the whole story, but she knew Itachi would find out one ay if he ever finished her file, and in a way she wished to him the facts on her own. "The house didn't have very good memories anymore, it was too big anyway."

"Houses have a funny way of keeping the ghosts in," Itachi remarked. His words made Sakura realize that perhaps, the heir of the Uchiha clan had moved out because he too was haunted by memories of loved ones that used to reside in it. Sakura knew that Itachi had been Sasuke's idol growing up. The two had shared a bond that no one would never be able to replicate, and Sakura knew no matter how much she had been told differently, she had taken that bond away.

"Do I have any missions coming up?" She questioned, changing the subject.

Itachi tilted his head, and she could tell he wasn't ready for the sudden shift of topics. "No, I rather like having my morning partner in Kohana," he remarked as he took one last sip of his tea. "I will see you next week, Sakura," he said, before standing and walking away, leaving her to spend a few more moments remembering the boy who had saved her life.

* * *

Sakura Haruno had once just been his little brother's teammate, Itachi thought as he began to go through mission files that the Hokage had sent to him. As he eyes drifted to the group picture of all active ANBU on his desk, her smiling face drew him in. Once upon a time, she had just been Sasuke's teammate. Overnight, though, she had become the girl his brother had sacrificed his life for, something he had never held resentment towards her for. Over the years, Sakura had become one of the few people he attempted to let in. After losing his brother, then failing to avenge him, it became harder than ever for him to let himself grow close to people. The pink hair medic-nin was the only expectation. Maybe it was because Sasuke had cared for her in a brotherly way, or maybe it was because she was just like him and had not yet let his brother go. Either way, he found himself looking forward to their Thursday morning's together.

"Taichou," The voice of his assistant, Nara Shikamaru, came to his ears. Like most ANBU who were not an active duty at the moment, he was dressed in dark pants, shirt, and a very light gray jōnin style vest. "Intel redid some files, apparently, you were right when you suspected some of the personnel files were not a hundred percent accurate."

Itachi nodded, as the Nara boy placed a small amount of files on his desk. His black eyes caught the name of one of the files, and he couldn't help but wondered why the name was on the file. "Haruno's was not accurate? She's the Hokage's apprentice, she should be the easier person to investigate," he questioned. The one thing he did not like about ANBU, was the Hokage and the village elders liked to know everything about their greatest weapons. It was important to know who they were sending out in missions, and telling top secret plans about the village's troubles.

"I know it shocked me too," Nara began. "I didn't look at it, but most likely there was just a typo," he said before walking out of the office.

With his curiosity peaked, Itachi wasted no time opening up Sakura's file. Like all files, her birth certificate was the first thing in the pile of papers, but his eyes were meet with was not the same certificate three months earlier when he took on the job. Not hesitating, he took out Sakura's original file from the nearby filing cabinet. In the original report, laid Sakura's Konoha's birth certificate stating she was born to Kizashi and Mebuki Haruno, yet in the new file there now was an adoption certificate. Closing the original file, he began flipping through the new one. Behind the adoption certificate, there was document claiming her adoption was sealed until her parent's death. With her mother dying only six months ago, Itachi realized the file he had gotten had been indeed outdated. Even the ANBU couldn't get to a sealed file without the permission of the Hokage, but as he went back to look at adoption certificate he noticed a difference other than the parents. The adoption certificate stated the baby girl was born not in Konoha, but in Sound.

Reclining back in his seat, he went back to the paper that placed a seal on her adoption. His eyes were met with the Third's signature, one that was most likely hand signed and not stamped. As someone had seen how Hokage's operated, he knew they did not deal with the simple adoption of babies, instead, they merely had someone pressed the seal of their signature on files such as these to make them legally binding. Why had the Third taken interest in this adoption? Then his eyes peered over the adoption form one more time, and he realized that Sakura had been almost two by the time she was adopted. Yet,when Sakura had spoken of her parent's in the past there had never been a mention of her being adopted. In fact, he was wondering if she even knew she was adopted.

With a heavy sigh, he closed Sakura's file. Before this moment he had thought he knew everything about Sakura. After his brother's death, he had always kept an eye out for her. Now, even more so, as her superior. Unlike other ANBU agents, he didn't need to go through the file to find out who she was close too, what her likes or dislikes where, or who had trained her and what her academy grades were. He had watched Sakura grow up alongside his brother, he had been the ANBU that had to pry his brother's body out of the crying girl's arm, and he had been the ANBU that had kept watch outside her house for a month after the disastrous Chūnin exams. When he had returned from failing to kill Orochimaru, he had chalked his fascination up to the fact that he felt like Sasuke would want him to look out for her. Lately, his thoughts were beginning to make him think more than that. Maybe, the heart that some questioned he had, had grown to have feelings for the pink hair girl.

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Sakura had a long day, a very long day. At first her Thursday had started normally, or as normal as having tea with Uchiha Itachi could be, but soon her day had tailspin. Her first shift back at the hospital after two months had been a long one. Not only had three ANBU squads had come in on their death beds, she was sure Itachi would love that news, but Naruto had bombarded her with his presence during her much need lunch break. She loved Naruto, but her breaks at the hospital were valuable, as they were her few moments of rest. However, Naruto's presence had lifted her spirits before she began what seems to be a marathon of surgeries that had caused what was suppose to be just a day shift, into an all day and night shift.

Stripping out of her once pristine doctor's coat and the rest of her clothes, Sakura stepped into her shower. She let her the warm water rinse away all the grime that was most likely on her body. Standing underneath the shower head, she leaned her head against the cool tile wall. Today, she had not lost a single person, and her mind couldn't help but wonder if she had started her medical training early if she would have been able to save Sasuke. Tsunade had once told her that cursed marks were created for a specific person in mind and that if someone received one that was not created for them, the result would be fatal. Years later, the questioned of why Orochimaru had targeted her had still not been answered. To be frank, it was one Sakura did not care to know. In fact, the only thing she wished she could do was to go back and change that horrible day. Survivor's guilt was something that would never be washed away.

Turning the warm water off, Sakura toweled herself dry as the unmistakable sound of someone knocking on her door reached her ears. With a groan, she hoped it was not some genin who had been sent out to drag her back to the hospital. If that was the case, she would march into Itachi's office tomorrow and demanded to be sent out off on a mission, at least then she could get some rest without being disturbed by hospital pages. Slipping on a large t-shirt and some sleep shorts that were a tad on the short side, Sakura exited her bathroom, leaving her pink hair wet and tossed over her shoulder. Whoever was her door, she hoped that they had a decent reason for keeping her from her much needed sleep.

Not even thinking to check who was behind her door through the peephole, Sakura unlocked the door to reveal a figure she knew very well. Dressed in black pants, and a blue shirt that was held closed by a small red band, there was no doubt in her mind that he was coming from his home. When she had seen him earlier today he had been dressed in his usual ANBU attire, armor in all, as he was always ready for a battle. Yet, not he stood outside of her apartment in normal clothes, and Sakura wasn't even sure how he knew where she lived. Or better yet, why he was standing at her door without a look in his eyes that she had never seen before.

"Taichou, is something wrong?" She asked, wondering if perhaps there was a mission that he had just been informed of he was collecting her personally.

Itachi shook his head "Yuji's, tomorrow eight am," he said.

Sakura tilted her head in confusion. Yuji's was a breakfast place near the hospital, and she had no idea why Itachi would want to meet her there. Or better yet, why he was asking her to breakfast at all. He wasn't asking, though, he was telling her. Uchiha Itachi didn't ask things, after all, he either knew or he demanded. Before she could even launch a complaint he had stalked away from her door and disappeared into the night. Leaving her mind to drift from one brother to another.

"Sasuke," she muttered as she walked out of her apartment and leaned over the railing on the landing. She looked up the night sky and the stars above her. "I hope you know what your brother is up to," she paused as one start seemed to brighten as her eyes locked on it. "Because I sure as hell don't."

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AN: Hey! This is my first attempt at a story, so please be nice :)

Thank you for reading and I hoped you like this story! It's just an idea in my head, and I decided it was time I try and test the waters and see if anyone else like this story of mine! Hopefully there will be more to come :)


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

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Chapter Two

The idea of asking Sakura to breakfast was his planned to break the news to her in the nicest of ways that she was adopted. As an ANBU, such a secret could not be kept from her, as if an enemy found out and tried to use it to distract her, she would not be prepared. As he sat across the pink hair girl- woman- he corrected his thoughts, Itachi couldn't find the courage to tell her the truth. Despite her own mother's death, her father's absence, and the scarring memory of his brother's death, Sakura was not a person who wore their misery of her sleeve. She was one of the few people in the world who could fool him that they were completely and utterly happy. For the most part, Itachi honestly believed she was happy. Sakura was a person who loved her friends, comrades, and even her family very deeply. As she babbled on nervously about different things, he knew there would be no way to bring in the subject carefully. Or perhaps, his ears were finding the sweet tone of her voice appealing after spending the night alone in the small apartment he kept near the ANBU headquarters.

"Taichou? Taichou? Itachi!" Sakura exclaimed, her temper flaring for a moment. "Are you alright over there, you seem like your on a different planet."

"Sorry," he mumbled as he caught the sight of annoyance her stunning green eyes. Her eyes always captivated him, they were so different from his clans. Green and vivid, filled with life, unlike his own which were dark and had been the sight of so many before their death. "You were saying?" He asked, politely.

Sakura shook her head. "I was talking about Naruto's genin team, I fear that the village might be seeing more instance of Naruto's pervy justsus."

Itachi wondered who had ever thought it was good idea that Naruto of all people was allowed to have a genin team. However, at the same time, Itachi was happy when the boy left ANBU. His personality was just not suited for the black ops that Itachi ran, and sometimes he wondered why Sakura had joined herself. "Haruno-san," he began slowly. "Why did you join ANBU?"

"I could ask you the same question," Sakura countered, before taking a deep breath. "I am medic, Taichou, and ANBU's go on the most dangerous missions the village takes on. Their chances of dying on missions are sometimes over seventy-five percent, I just want to help them get home, in one piece."

He nodded at her explanation. One thing he knew about Sakura, that he wished more people had, was the need to help others. "I joined ANBU for the clan," Itachi offered. "I stayed because I am good at the work."

"I think good is an understatement, Taichou," Sakura remarked.

"Itachi," he found himself saying. The term Taichou never seemed right coming out of her mouth, but after years of her calling him Uchiha-san, it was an upgrade. Now it was time for her to just call him by his name. It was ridiculous that she had called him by his last name for as long as she did, it was not like he hadn't known for close to half her life. "Call me Itachi."

His observant eyes caught her stiffening in her chair. Slowly though she smiled, "Only if you call me Sakura for now on," She countered.

"Fine," he paused. "Sakura," he added, letting the name roll off his tongue. It didn't feel foreign, as he had allowed himself to call her name at the memorial hundreds of times before, but this was the first time he had called her name in public.

"It's about time you stopped calling me Haruno," she said with a smile on her face. A smile, that he had been the cause of. It was nice knowing he could make someone happy, and the reason being not because he was making the Clan proud.

"Well, you are famous for your temper. I didn't wish to overstep my bounds," he replied, casually. She was a hot head, his exact opposite. While he would let little things go, she would mouth off to anyone who dared crossed her.

Sakura glared at him for his comment. "I do not have a temper."

"Then Tsunade does not have a sake addiction," he countered.

The kunoichi in front of him was amused by their banter, and Itachi had wondered why it had taken four years to get to this point. Until this past year, they had sat in silence in their mornings, only exchanging what was suppose to be Sasuke's favorite brand of tea. However, the past year they had slowly began to open to one another. Or maybe, he had finally let the wall that kept people out down. After all, Sakura was the one with a multitude of friends.

"Why did you invite me here Itachi?" She asked, as laid some coins down to pay the bill.

The ANBU captain stood, and simply nodded his head. "Another time, Sakura," he managed before performing to the transportation justu to send himself to the ANBU headquarters. As he landed in office, he knew he had done the right thing. He wasn't the person that needed to tell Sakura the truth.

* * *

Sakura walked into the Hokage's office was not even knocking, a privilege she had earned years ago as Tsunade's prized student and surrogate daughter. The sight of her mentor knee deep in paper work was one that never seem to change. Yet, the lines of Tsunade's face spoke to the stress of the job, and Sakura wondered when it would come time for Tsunade to step down from the job. She knew that was trying to wait to pass the job down to Naruto, but at eighteen Naruto would not be ready to by Hokage for at least close to another decade, and Tsunade definitely did not have another ten years left in her for this job. Without a word, Sakura settled into the chair in front of her teacher's desk waiting for the moment the leader of her village would be able to speak to her.

"Sakura," Tsunade mumbled from her paperwork. Sakura's green eyes watched as Tsunade scribbled her name on paper before adding it to a stack of other. With a little much force, the Hokage slammed the pen down before looking at her student. "There's something that has come to my attention," she said her eyes meeting Sakura's.

Sakura wondered why her mentor's voice seemed serious. It wasn't like Tsunade to use this tone with her. No, the Slug-Princess was usually more light-hearted with her, more welcoming. Right now, though, it seemed Tsunade was going to straight to business with here. "What is it?" Sakura hesitantly a heavy sigh, Tsunade pulled out a piece of pear before handing it to Sakura. Wordlessly, Sakura took the paper and read it. However, her mind didn't comprehend what was on the document before her.

"Is this some kind of joke?" Sakura asked as she looked at her sensei.

Tsunade slowly shocked her head. "It did not come to my attention until this morning, Sakura. With your mother's death six months ago, your records become unsealed and I was just alerted to the fact that you are indeed adopted," She explained calmly.

With shaky hands, Sakura put the paper down on the desk in front of her. Adopted? Certainly, she had always wondered where her hair color had come from, but never in a million years she had thought she was adopted. Her mother had been that, her mother. To think that her mother had not truly been her's, was breaking Sakura's heart. "No," Sakura gasped. "I am not, I am not adopted. My mother is-

"She's still your mother, Sakura," Tsunade offered with a smile on her face. "I didn't want to tell you but, I had to for a more pressing matter."

Sakura raised her eyebrow wondering what could be more of pressing the matter. "Only your mother signed your adoption papers, therefore due to Kohona's laws requiring adoptees have a father who is a citizen to acquire their own citizenship, as of now you are not a citizen of the Leaf."

"What!" Sakura yelled as she stood up. Whatever was going on was ludicrous! So far her breakfast with Itachi was more pleasant then her meeting with her teacher. The world in Sakura's mind was off its axis, something was terribly wrong. She was not adopted, and she was very much a citizen of Kohana.

"Sakura," Tsunade scolded. "Calm down, I had Shizune fill out an application on your behalf the next swearing in ceremony is next month, and until then your off active ANBU duty," she added.

The words off duty slowly ran through her mind. A months break off of ANBU was not bad, but the reason why sunk in. She wasn't really an ANBU if she wasn't a citizen. For the past six years, she had served Kohona in its ranks, and something has simply as a formality that she didn't even know about had changed that. "Tsunade this is ridiculous! If I was adopted I would have known, my parents would have told me-

"They couldn't Sakura," Tsunade replied looking at her student. "The Third order them to never tell you for your own good."

Sakura sunk down into the chair once again. Had the third been involved? Why on earth would the Third Hokage be involved with her supposed adoption? "Why? She questioned. "Why would it matter?"

Tsunade sighed, and look at Sakura. "Sakura, you and your classmates were born just around the time Orochimaru was beginning to create Sound. At the time, Kohona associated anybody from Sound with his horrible deeds. You were born in Sound, Sakura and if the village had known they would have shunned you like Naruto," Tsunade explained, rather bluntly.

Sound?

Her mind let the name of the village that she hated with every fiber of her body. The village that was responsible for taking a part of innocence, and her beloved teammate… How of all places she could be from Sound? Sakura didn't believe it. It couldn't-wasn't- true in her mind. For the past eighteen years, she had been the daughter of her parents. For the past six years, she had been a proud shinobi of her village. Now, with a document that had ben unsealed, everything she knew to be true was disappearing in front of very eyes. Without a word, Sakura stood and rushed out of her mentor's office. The world around her was changing, and she needed someone to make it stop

* * *

The ramen in front of Sakura was warm, and the strangely the sight comforting. After running of the Hokage's office, Sakura went to the one person that had always been in her life, and would always be Naruto. Although he had been training his genin team - a collection of rug rats in Sakura's opinion- he had stopped training earlier and took her to his favorite ramen stand. Ichiraku's was as stable as anything else in Sakura's life. In fact, she was pretty sure she was coming here before she was even friends with Naruto, with her parents, her now adopted parents. Sakura knew Naruto could tell something was wrong with her, but she had yet to confess to what exactly why. Her friend just kept sending her his worry glances, and Sakura was just waiting until he exploded, as Naruto didn't have much patience.

"Sakura-chan, stop looking so sad!" Naruto exclaimed in between taking bites of his ramen. "Or at least tell me what's wrong, there's no reason to look down when there's a hot bowl of ramen in front of you!"

Sakura sighed as she absently mildly twirled the noodles around in then owl with her chopsticks. "It's complicated Naruto."

"Sakura," Naruto said, his big blue eyes growing larger and giving her his most concern look. "I haven't seen you this down since Sasuke left us," he murmured. Even Naruto still held his own regrets about Sasuke's death. The blonde hair man never used the phrase 'Sasuke died', instead in Naruto's mind Sasuke had left them. Sakura knew that Naruto silently wished of ways to get Sasuke back, but they would be bale to because had died.

"Naruto," Sakura groaned as she ran her hands through her pink tresses. "It's just my whole world just changed and I don't know what to do!" She exclaimed, tears forming in her green eyes. This morning she had woken up Sakura Haruno, but now Haruno wasn't even her real last name.

"What do you mean, Sakura?" Naruto question confused by her statement. "You still go me, and Kakashi-sensei, you even have Ino-pig," he paused and tilted his head. "Did something happen at the hospital did you lose a patient or-

"No," Sakura interrupted. She couldn't even remember the last time she lost a patient. Her record as a medic was beyond superb. "I am adopted, Naruto."

"What do you mean you're adopted Sakura? I meant your parents when we were 12!" Naruto replied, with an even more confused look on his face. "Is this one of Tsunade's twisted training exercises, because if it is then that is just cruel."

Sakura shook her head. "It's not," she took a deep breath and look at the teammate that had become like her brother. "It's the truth, Naruto. I don't know why they never told me, but they didn't."

"Cheer up!" Naruto smiled. "It doesn't change anything, you're still the same girl that threatens to punch me if I don't ask Hinata out soon," he babbled out.

For the first time since hearing the news, Sakura smiled. Naruto always had a way of cheering her up. When they had lost Sasuke, he had been the one who had brought her out of the dark place she had slipped into for a few weeks of his death. Naruto had been the person who taught her how to smile, even in the darkest times. "You really need to do that soon Naruto, the poor girl has had a crush on you since I can remember!" Sakura slightly yelled, raising her balled fist to show Naruto. The Kyuubi container quickly finished his ramen, before running off in fear of his former teammate.

* * *

After being left by Naruto, Sakura decided that she needed to tell the ANBU office that she could no longer be on active duty for the next month. Knowing Tsunade, she probably forgot to send a memo to the office, and Sakura didn't want to risk being the awkward position of being called up and then not being able to go. The pink kunoichi could only imagine the reaction of her Tacho if he at last minute had to find someone else. As she walked to the ANBU headquarters, Sakura wondered if perhaps her Tacho already knew. After all, Itachi had even admitted to reading her file once before, perhaps he would disagree with Tsunade's order that she not be serving on ANBU until she was officially a citizen. The idea of not being a citizen irritated her, apparently the numerous times she had saved people and the countless times she almost died herself serving the village didn't grant her automatic citizenship. The whole situation was just frustrating, or as she entered the ANBU office and saw Shikarmu sitting at his desk outside of the Itachi's office, troublesome.

"Is he free?" Sakura asked, her hand already on the door to Itachi's office. Shikamura barely nodded is head yes, before Sakura was in the office and slamming the door behind her.

Itachi raised eyes coal eyes from his paperwork to meet her. The office was small, with windows in the back. The walls were bare, except for hooks that held Itachi's various ANBU masks that all resemble a cat. In the lone center of the room set his desk, with a line of filing cabinets behind it. "Please tell me Hokage-sama has not sent you with more mission requests," he said.

"No," Sakura replied, as she took in his exhausted look. Itachi was by far the hardest working ninja in the village, and the most talented. It didn't take much for anyone to realize that Itachi was simply a work acholic by nature. For him, he didn't know when to say no or when to simply relax. Instead, he had the inhibited drive to always be the best and to always work hard. If she wasn't close with Naruto, Sakura would most definitely support his claim to be Hokage after Tsunade.

"Then what is it?" He asked, curtly, as he leaned in back in the chair he was sitting in.

Sakura tilted her head, as she took in his words. "You knew," Sakura accused. It wasn't that hard of a stretch, usually when she came into his office unannounced it was about asking for another mission. Today, he hadn't expected her to ask, though because he already knew. Of course, he already knew. Itachi probably knew before she herself knew.

"Know what?" The Uchiha heir asked, trying to act like he didn't already know. If she didn't know better, Sakura would assume he was ignorance was truthful. However, one did not become an ANBU Captain at age 13 without out being a damn good liar.

"Cut the crap, Itachi," Sakura demanded crossing her arms as she stepped closer to the desk. "You know that I am off missions for a month!"

Itachi raised his eyebrow in surprise. "Sakura, there aren't many times I can say I am honestly confused," he paused. "This is one of those times, explain."

So maybe he didn't know, Sakura thought as she shifted her weight from one foot to another. "Apparently, I was adopted and those records recently came to Hokage-sama's attention. It also came to light that as of right now, I am not a citizen of Kohana officially," she explained.

Itachi was silent for a few moments before he finally spoke. "You can't go on missions because of a technicality that that even I didn't notice in your file?" He asked.

Sakura frowned, so he did know she was adopted. At least, she knew her attitude was warranted for some part of their conversation. In the back of her head, she wondered why he hadn't told her. In their quiet moments together, Sakura knew Itachi liked being truthful around others when he could be. In all their times drinking tea together in front of Sasuke's name on the memorial, he had been nothing but honest with her. Now, she wondered how many times he let her talk about her family, knowing in the back of his head they really weren't hers.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She asked, not bothering to answer his question.

His black eyes locked with hers and in that moment, Sakura felt her heart stopped. Perhaps, for the first time she saw something she hadn't notice before. Intrigue clouded his black eyes, and for their first time, Sakura didn't feel like she was standing in front of the man whose little brother had saved her's life. Now, as she stood in front Uchiha Itachi he was no longer just someone she could keep at arm's length. It was slowly becoming clear to her that somewhere along the way, he had slowly crept into her life. Or maybe she was finally realizing that he was someone that was very much in her life. Their once a week outings to the memorial, the quiet understandings they shared when someone mentioned Sasuke, are how they both tried to be so distant with one another, in reality, they were far from that.

"I didn't want to be the one to change your life," he answered. As she stood in front of him, his words hanging in the air the pink hair kunoichi realized how wrong Itachi's statement was wrong. He was already one of the people that had changed her life. As a twelve-year-old girl who had her dead teammate in her arms, she remembered him looking at her. His ANBU mask was off, and those haunting coal eyes of his were producing tears or not pain but heartbreak. When he took Sasuke from her arms, she promised she would be strong enough to save others from the heartbreak that they had just shared. Even though he hadn't wanted, the man before her had changed her life, and Sakura suddenly realized he wasn't done changing it yet either.

* * *

Hey!

Thanks so much for reading! Any feedback/comments/reviews would be so appreciate! I hope you liked this chapter and be on a look out for an update!

PinkyJade


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything**

Chapter Three

The month without any missions and non-citizenship flew by with a blink of an eye. Most of the time she had been stuck in the hospital. The summer heat in Kohana was worse than it had been in her whole life. The staggering cases of heat exhaustion and dehydration from civilians and shinobi alike had brought the hospital staff to its knees almost. Thankfully, July brought a week of constant rain showers, which seemed to cool the temperature down enough to give the hospital workers a break. However, Sakura who had been recently granted citizenship officially was back on the active duty roster of ANBU, which only meant one thing, she was going on a mission. Usually, a month of from missions would be a glorious thing. However, her break was not a voluntarily one which only made her long for the action and rush that came along with being out in the field. Now, it seemed she was finally going to do what she's been waiting all month to do; go kick some butt.

Dressed in full ANBU gear, Sakura waited in front of the ANBU headquarters to meet her team. Yesterday was Thursday, and like usual she had met Itachi at the memorial. For a few minutes, she had rambled off about her horrid stories of the hospital, while he only nodded along. He was a quiet person, but when he did speak his words always had some deep meaning behind them, and that was something that Sakura realized that she liked about him. Like, was a strong word, even with its childish's sound. However, Sakura didn't know what another term to use for her newly founded feelings, affections, or whatever she felt towards the Uchiha heir. He was definitely more than an acquaintance, but calling him a friend didn't seem right either. Yet, when she was standing in front of him in his office that day, she knew he undoubtedly meant something more than she ever dared admit to herself. She was trying her best to keep her thoughts contained, but when he told her that she would be going on a mission tomorrow, and he would be leading, suddenly his words had unleashed the words that she had tried so hard to keep intact.

The mission wouldn't be a short one, as it would last the minimum of three weeks. It was unusual for Itachi as Head of ANBU to take such long missions, however, the mission was recon and possible engagement with agents who were known for working with Sound. The only person who hated Sound more than she did was Itachi. There had been rumors about how he had used his Mangekyō Sharingan on too many Sound ninjas, and that was the reason he had been called back. Sakura had never seen him activate his Sharingan to that dangerous state, but she knew he had it, as she was the first person who saw his eyes shift. After Sasuke and said his last few words, he took a few more breaths, when Itachi had found them. He had watched his little brother take his very last breath, and that fact caused him to awake his family's greatest weapon. In the back of her head, Sakura wondered if Itachi ever regretted earning those eyes. In her mind, that part of the Sharingan brought out the worse of the ability, however, her an opinion as a non-Uchiha didn't matter.

"Sound off," came the smooth voice of Itachi from behind her. Sakura turned around to see his lean-figured dressed in all black. Instead of the normal white armor of the ANBU, he wore black, with a small Uchiha crest on the right strap. His mask was plain white, only black markings seem to depict an abstract cat.

"Falcon," came the stern voice that Sakura knew belonged to Itachi's cousin Shisui. Even though he was older, Shisu still was in the ANBU, and was always partnered with Itachi on missions. They had been since the elder of the two made ANBU, it seemed that he was one of the few people that could put up with Itachi's perfectionist personality time and time again. Apparently, Shisui was also the closest thing Itachi had to a best friend.

"Beast," came the softer, feminine voice of Inuzuka Hana. Currently, one of the other four female ANBU, Hana wore a canine like mask. Alongside her were here three ninken, who looked ready to track their target down. One of the reasons Hana had made ANBU was because when paired with her companions it was almost a hundred percent positive that they would find their target.

"Flower," Sakura said, looking at Itachi through her mask. Out of all the code names her was the most obvious to villagers to who she was. However, ANBU protocols required her to die her hair on missions to inky black that made her hair less noticeable. It wasn't something she enjoyed, but she understood the need to remain autonomous about who was behind the masks. Although, ANBU knew who was who often, people who read the often gruesome mission reports didn't need to identify them with the people behind the masks. Sometimes there was nothing humane about being in ANBU, they were required to do anything it took to complete the mission.

"Like always I am Taichou," Itachi stated before he began listing off instructions. His voice was cold, distant, and so unlike any voice, he used when it was just the two of them. As she listened to his order, Sakura began to think about the different Itachi's. There was this one, cold, hard, calculating, the person who would do anything for the sake of the mission. Then there was village Itachi, Head of ANBU, he was devoted to his work and his clan, and wanted Kohona to be a better place, but he was intimidating and distant. Finally, there was third Itachi, one she had only seen glimpses of, but one she wished to know better.

They took off silently, the sun just beginning to rise of their beloved village when they did so. They traveled all day and through a good part of the night. Finally, exhaustion was beginning to take hold. It was at least a week's journey to Sound, and their nights would consist of camping or taking refuge in small inns for the nights. Knowing, Itachi he preferred camping in less he knew of an Inn and trusted it. As a mission leader, Itachi took great care in ensuring the members of his team safety. It was known that he had come back numerous times carrying bodies of nearly dying teammates, but not matter what he would always manage to get them back in time. As a medic-nin, she had seen his medical record in passing a few times, and she knew that often when he was harmed it was because he jumped to the defense of a teammate - a trait he and his brother had to share.

Like well-trained robots, they came to a halt at the sound of Itachi's command. Wordless they began the tedious task of setting up camp. They chose a spot hidden in some foliage, not too far off by a nearby stream. The area of the Fire Country they were in was not well traveled as it was in the direction of the Sound Country. Not many people willing venture into the despicable country, only people tried to get out. For the first time since finding out she had been born in Sound, Sakura wondered how she had managed to escape. Her adoption certificate had stated no birth-parents, only that she had been born in another country, and given up in hopes of finding a better home. However, she certainly didn't crawl all the way from Sound to Konoha. As she finished help setting up the tent that she and Hana would share, Sakura let her mind to wander to all the things she suddenly had questions for. After setting up camp and eating her rations, Sakura couldn't help but glance at Itachi, wondering if he perhaps knew the questions that suddenly plagued her. He was, after all, Itachi, the genius who knew everything.

"You should be sleeping," Itachi stated, as she slipped out of her tent. He had the second watch, while she had the third. There were still minutes before he came and got her, though, as Sakura knew that Itachi never stay at guard for the minimum allotted time, instead he always went over, allowing for the people after him to have more sleep. He had mentioned once that he found it hard to sleep, and Sakura knew that it was most likely they same reason that kept her tossing and turning some nights.

"A few less minutes of sleep won't hurt," she murmured as she sat next to him in front of the fire. Itachi's mask rested on top of his head, ready to be pulled down in case of an attack. Knowing that he would only lift it if he knew the coast was completely clear, Sakura pulled hers up and looked at him. "How much do you know about my adoption?" She asked, after a few moment of silence.

Itachi looked at her with a surprised look. "Not much, just what was in your file," he answered truthfully. "Why?" He asked.

Sakura shifted uncomfortably next to him and wondered just how closely he had looked at the file. "Did you see where my real birthplace was listed?" She questioned, earning his head to shake a firm 'no'. "It was Sound," she stated her voice barely above a whisper.

"I see where your sudden interest came from," he murmured as he glanced at the fire that was burning in front of them. It wasn't necessary with the heat of the summer to keep warm, but it was needed to see around the camp sight.

"I've been trying to ignore thinking about it," Sakura said, glancing at him. "It's too unreal still, but it just hit me when I realized. How? How did I end up in Kohona all those years ago if I am from Sound, Itachi?"

Itachi eyes snapped closed for a second before opening. His dark eyes locked with her's and Sakura couldn't help but feel the world slowing down. It seemed every time lately he looked at her in the eyes, it would cause some reaction that wasn't strictly platonic on her part. "You're thinking too much into this Sakura," he replied, his voice warm and light. "It does not matter how you got to Kohana, all that matters is how you live your life in our village."

Of course, his words seemed to flush away any thoughts of finding anything else about her adoption for the moment. Why did it matter if she was adopted? He was right, what didn't matter was her past, but how she formed her future. Always the genius his words had not only been intelligent and wise, but he had said them in a way that had her suppressing the heat behind her cheeks.

"Your right," she muttered underneath her breath as she tilted her head up and look at the night sky. "I just question things too much, it's a bad habit of mine," the pink hairs kunoichi added.

Itachi raised an eyebrow, "Too much is an understatement," he stated. "I cannot go a Thursday morning without getting asked about ten questions from you."

Sakura shook her head at her captain. "Do you count or something?" She half joked, but half asked. Itachi was one that always noticed the littlest details, there was no doubt in her mind right know that he didn't know exactly how many kilometers they were from the target.

"Yes," he answered, curtly. "This Thursday you asked a total of fourteen questions."

Letting out a small laugh she couldn't help but smile. "Can I ask you a question?" He nodded at her words. "How many of those did you actually answer?"

Itachi didn't react, and it was obvious he was taking stats about his part of the conversation. "That was question number seven of this conversation," he said in a flat tone.

"Really?" Sakura exclaimed. "Do I bore you that much that you have to count the amount of questions I ask?"

He shook his head, but a smirk on his lips formed. "You're up to nine now," the Uchiha heir stated, his normally emotionless face, giving off a more playful expression.

"I wonder how you are related to your mother sometimes," Sakura sighed, earning a hard look from the man next to her. The few interactions she had with his mother had been nothing but pleasant- but that was before Sasuke died. Those few times, more like numerous times, her genin team had been over to the Uchiha compound, Mikoto had been nothing but a pleasant talker. Her voice was that of a soothing mother's and her words seemed to spin stories without any effort. Yet, her only living child seemed to lack the conversation skills she had.

"She asks about you often," Itachi said, ignoring meaning behind her comment. "And Naruto, I think she misses having children over."

Sakura softly smiled. Although Mikoto had not been an outstanding ninja, she was, more importantly, a wonderful mother. She gave her sons the most love she could, and was probably the only reason Itachi was somewhat normal. Sakura missed spending time with the woman, who had always treated her to sweet rice bowls and gave her teammates a hard time if they teased her. "Mothers always do when their children grow old."

"I am not old," Itachi replied.

"You're twenty-three, that's five years older than me. Besides, your friends with Kakashi and Genma and they are ancient," Sakura said. Anybody older than herself by more than two or three years was simply in a different generation. As a ninja mature and grew up faster than most civilians who were not faced with the dangerous lives that they endured. A few years age difference as a ninja seemed more like a decade or more. Although Itachi was only five years old, he had been alive for war, which had caused him to grow up faster than she could ever imagine.

"Your sense of age is fascinating," he remarked in what Sakura knew to be a very condescending tone.

Not wanting to start an argument with her captain, Sakura bit her tongue. It was obvious that Itachi in ways still saw her as the little girl he met years ago. In ways, though Itachi did seem way older than his five years seniority. The first time she met him she was just twelve and he sixteen, at the time he might have well been in his twenties. The sense of authority he held seemed to age more than his youthful age. "It's my turn to watch, get some sleep Taichuo," Sakura stated.

Rather reluctantly Itachi stood up, "Get Shisui in three hours, Sakura," He ordered. His gaze only left her as he slowly turned to walk to his tent, and Sakura couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. She defiantly didn't need Itachi messing with her brain while on a mission.

* * *

Itachi didn't like the feeling he had in the pit of stomach as he hid behind his genjutsu. After traveling for days his team had finally come across the Sound agent they were tracking. Although they were merely supposed to track the agent, this was the first known agent of Orochimaru's in years, and he was not going to let him slip through his fingers. Being the stragist he was, the heir of the Uchiha clan had entered into the hideout with Hana, leaving his other teammates safely hidden outside in case of retreat. Hana and her ninken had stayed at the entrance, ready to dash in at the moment's notice, while he slipped hidden under his powerful justu. As he entered into a dusty room, he instantly recognized who the sound agent was talking to; Kabuto.

"Do you have the file I asked for?" The twisted medic asked, the younger nin. The sound agent they had tracked was no older then Sakura, he had musty brown hair and short and stout. To Itachi, the agent would be an easy target, but Kabuto was a different story.

"Yes," the sound agent said, as Itachi's eyes zero into the file. He saw the sign of his village printed on the folder with the code S-278. As someone who was high ranking in the village, he knew that file belonged in the Hokage's archives, and was most likely a record of something that had to happen during the third's term. How it had gotten out of the Hokage archives was something he would have to figure out later, now he wanted to know why Kabuto wanted this file.

The white hair medic-nin flipped open the file and skimmed over the contents. Itachi's eyes narrowed, as the enemy-nin smiled. "Just what Orochimaru thought six years ago," Kabuto muttered, shaking his head. "How ironic that it would be her of all people."

Itachi tilted his head at the statement. Six years ago, Orochimaru had invaded Kohana killed his brother and the Third. The Snake Sannin though hadn't tried to kill his brother but had seemed to beaftera girl. Her. Kabuto had said her, in his last sentence. The time frame and the mention of a female, only made Itachi assumeSound-or more specifically Orochimaru- wanted something to do with the pink hair girl that was currently outside. As much as he wanted to get more information, Itachi was not willing to risk Kabuto sensing Sakura. Reaching up to his communication link, he pressed the red button which singled his team to retreat to the meeting spot three miles out. However, he was not retreating without trying to cause a little damage first.

* * *

Uchiha Itachi was supposed to be a genius, a prodigy, and in many people's opinion's the strongest shinobi of Konoha. However, as Sakura sat on the edge of the crappy hotel bed cleaning the nasty arm wound he had received from trying to single handily take out both the Sound agent and Kabuto, all Sakura thought of him was the fact that he really was an idiot. The fact that he had taken out the agent, and said Kabuto would most likely no longer be of any use to Orochimaru, did change her thoughts about his actions. Even though he was the leader of her team, Sakura believed he was foolish for ordering them to retreat while he stayed behind. They were more than capable of aiding him in the fight, but he had sent them away as if they were children. His foolishness had left him with some damage nerves in his upper arm, most likely from a chakra scalpel. Luckily, it was the worst of his wounds, other than a little chakra depletion.

"You're angry," Itachi murmured as she ran her hand charged with healing chakra over his wound. She had done a primary healing session when he came staggering in last night, but he was in need of another finish healing the severed nerves. When she had started she ha thought he was still asleep as it was early in the morning, but it seemed he was not.

"You didn't have to send us away," she whispered. Hana was asleep on the other bed, across from his. While Shisui was laid out on a makeshift pallet on the space in between the beds. The two were sound asleep, but Sakura was used to waking up earlier than most.

"Are you questioning your captain?" He asked, his darks eyes floating towards her. Sakura sighed, she wanted to tell him, yes, but she felt like she couldn't. After all, it was Thursday mornings and Thursday mornings with Itachi were not supposed to be about their disagreements. "You're going to need another healing session when we get back to Kohona on that arm," she replied, as she stopped her healing. Itachi's eyes seemed to burn into her eyes before she broke away from his sight line by standing and facing away. "I am going downstairs and getting some tea," she muttered.

The medic wasn't even halfway to the door behind he stood up, and pulled one his long sleeve black shirt. "I'll go with you," he said.

Sakura simply nodded, and they quietly ventured out the small room they were staying in and downstairs to the lobby. The lobby wasn't anything but a small desk, but she knew directly outside of the hotel there was a small tea-cart, that she had seen when they arrived. She wondered when Itachi had picked this place as the rendezvous spot if he knew about it and picked the inn so they in a way could have their normal Thursday morning routine. They quietly ordered and received their respective tea, before settling on a bench under a shady tree outside of the inn. Neither of them were in ANBU but instead casual travelers clothes, and so to the villagers, they perhaps looked like a young couple enjoy the morning together.

"You avoided my question earlier," Itachi stated as he sipped his tea. The sun had barely risen all but an hour ago, and the area around them seemed to be glowing with the hopes of a new day. However, Sakura was already not in the best mood due to the actions Itachi took the other day.

"You shouldn't have ordered us to leave," she murmured, not voicing her opinion too loudly. She wasn't really worried about offending Itachi, for she was sure she had most likely done that several times growing up. Instead, she was afraid he close up and not talk to her for the rest of the day. "You could of come back with injuries worse than you did," Sakura paused and looked at him. "Or worse, not at all."

Itachi was silent and instead looked out the dirt road in front of them that was vacant of any travelers. "We are shinobi, Sakura, our life is one we willingly risk every day."

Even when she was trying to talk sense into him, he had to go all morally good on her. "I know that," Sakura stopped and shook her head. "But it doesn't mean you have to make stupid decisions that lead to your risks of dying going up!" She argued.

His glanced at her, his eyes narrowing in at her. "Stupid?"

"Yes, stupid! You always think about the team's safety Itachi, but have you ever thought to think about your on?" The pink hair medic questioned. "You think that you're some moral self-sacrificial lamb, but have you ever thought about how people would feel if something actually happened to you?"

Itachi's eyes flickered for a moment, and if she was looking she could have sworn he turned his eyes red for second, but he didn't. Yet, it was like he had unleashed something behind those black coal eyes of his. "Would you be one of those people, Sakura?" He dared asked.

"Would you stop being stupid if I was?" Sakura counted back not even thinking about what his question implied. Was he too, trying to figure out what they meant to each other? Did he too feel just as confused as she did lately around him? His question quite bluntly asked if she cared about him, and to be honest, she did. Itachi was someone she cared about, but to the extent or how she cared about she didn't know how exactly still. It was frustrating. Every other person in her life she could accurately describe her feelings towards, but not him.

"I think I would."

The words spoke caught her off guard. A strong part of her mind as trying to reason with her that his answer didn't mean anything. Why after all, Itachi care what she thought of him? Uchiha Itachi was a great, amazing, a bit antisocial person, but she did not meet his standards. In the world they lived in, Uchiha Itachi was in his own sphere and she was several below him. If something happened to her, her mourners would be few, if were to die his mourners would be plentiful. Yet, it seemed in this moment as her heart was beating out of her chest, it seemed she was the only person he would want to worry about him.

* * *

Author's Note

Thanks so much for reading this chapter! I hope you enjoyed this, and the next chapter should be a little bit longer! The first few are shorter just because they are setting up the story for all the drama that is to come! Also, pretty please with sugar on top if you have time leave a review:)

Until next time

PinkyJade


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own anything

* * *

Chapter Four

Today, Sakura awoke and dressed partially in her ANBU uniform, the sleeveless black top, and fitted pants were the only things adorning her body. It was only two weeks since she came back home from her mission with Itachi, but today she had yet another mission. However, before her team moved out in a few hours there was somewhere she needed to be. Without wasting any time, Sakura stopped by Ino's family's flower shop and collect simple bundled of irises, before making her way through the growing crowds of the village's main street and made her way to the Uchiha compound. The esteemed clan members didn't question her as she walked through the gates, as they knew why she was walking through their district so earlier in the morning as the day was July 23rd. If Sasuke Uchiha had not saved her six years ago in the Forbidden Forest, he would have turned eighteen today. Yet, he had died an untimely death, and it would be one she knew she would carry with her forever.

Silently, Sakura kneeled down at the headstone that bore the name of her friend and teammate. Carefully, she laid down the flowers she had brought before sitting down in front of the grave. She didn't come to the graveyard in the Uchiha district that often, only on his birthday and the day he died. Even on those days, it was hard to look at the stone where his name was so expertly carved into. Going to the memorial was easier, because as she looked at his name surrounded by others it reminded her that he was a shinobi and he had died doing what he devoted his life too. Looking at just Sasuke's name upon the marble stone, with the simple words beneath it 'Son, Brother, Teammate, and Friend', was hard. Those four words had been his life, yet there were so many words that could be added to his epitaph if he had lived. If Sasuke hadn't saved her, he could have been husband a father, even a grandfather, or at least he would have turned eighteen today.

"His birthday has a way of always be unbearably hot," came a soft, timid voice from behind her. Wiping the small trickle of sweat off her forehead, Sakura turned to seed the always elegant Mikoto behind her. The Lady Uchiha wore a light gray summer kimono, her dark brown eyes slightly tinted red from crying.

"Lady Uchiha," Sakura replied, standing up quickly and nodding her head out of respect to the Matriarch of the Uchiha Clan. "I was just taking my leave, I don't want to intrude," the Hokage's student added. Even years after Sasuke's death, Sakura found it hard to be around Mikoto. Every time the pink hair kunoichi looked at the woman, all she could think was the reason for Mikoto's youngest child's death. Although Mikoto had told her long ago no one in the Uchiha clan blamed her, Sakura knew she would always feel just a little bit that she had played a major role in Sasuke's death.

"You don't have to do that Sakura, please stay," Mikoto instructed, with a pleasant smile on her face.

Sakura nodded, and Mikoto kneeled down before her son's headstone. "I know he didn't say it much Sakura, but his days on your team were the happiest Sasuke was his whole life," Mikoto stated, looking loveling at her son's grave.

Biting her lip hard, Sakura held back the tears that were forming because of Mikoto's words. July 23rd was always a hard day, but she had a mission in a few hours and Sakura knew she needed her emotions to be enacted. Right now, she couldn't afford the luxury of crying. "Mine as well," Sakura politely replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

"You and Naruto should come by more often," Mikoto started looking at the pink hair girl standing next to her. "The compound hasn't been as lively as it was with the three of you terrorizing it, or in most cases Naruto."

"I am sure Naruto will be by later today to visit," Sakura offered, her mind drifting to the days when they would run to the main Uchiha house after practice for Mikoto's prized rice balls. They were so innocent, so trusting, and attached. No other genin team seemed to share the bond that they did, and even though the first week or so had been a rough start, Sakura knew her team was meant to be. "I hate to leave so soon Lady-Uchiha, but I have a mission in an hour," Sakura paused, as the mother next to her nodded. "It was nice talking to you," she added before turning away.

"Sakura," came Mikoto's voice as the pinkette was only a few steps away. "You are always welcomed here, don't ever forget that," The matriarch said.

"Hai, Mikoto-san," Sakura replied using the version of Mikoto's name that she used to use as a child. Her life at twelve had been so much simpler, and if there was anything Sakura could do to go back to those times she would. Life now was great. Everything she did, everything she got to experiences, every smile, and every tear, though, was made possible for her by one person.

Uchiha Sasuke.

* * *

The Wind Country in July was nothing but a beach without any water. Sand surrounded Sakura everywhere she went, and the village of Suna was sweltering hot. After a few days of interrogating a Kohana missing-nin in Suna's prison, her team was finally headed back to Leaf. Sakura was never happier to leave Kohona' friendly village ally. Kohana offered more protection from the blazing summer sun, and she longed for the familiar faces of her friends. Most of the Rookie 12 had been out on missions before she left, and they were due for drinks and night out on the town. Long were the days of innocent genin picnics, instead, their get-togethers now consisted of long nights that turned into early mornings. The heat wave just added to her longing for a very large, cold glass of sake. Or even something stronger, her current team consisted of Sai and a freshly appointed ANBU agent, who was just as talkative as Naruto. Between the two, Sakura had found herself going crazy. Either one talked too much and the other didn't talk at all. All she wanted now as she sprinted across the dessert the terrain slowly turning more lush with every step, was someone normal to talk too.

The familiar sound of kunai hitting kunai, and the familiar presence of chakra, Sakura stopped. The sounds and chakra trace were faint, but they were nearby no doubt. Her team behind her followed suit, and began surveying the area for any fighting. Disregarding ANBU protocol, Sakura flipped her mask to the top of her head, her green eyes narrowing at the vast expanse in front of her. She could feel it in her heart that Naruto was nearby and he was in trouble. Narrowing her eyes, she could see dirt and dust being kicked up into the air about two miles out. If Naruto was in trouble, he was most likely with his freshly-named genin team. As ANBU, they weren't supposed to intervene with other missions unless ordered, but this was Naruto. ANBU protocol be damned she would go and protect her brother.

"It's Naruto," Sakura said, her eyes shooting at Sai. Sai had taken Sasuke's place after his passing, and although Sai was her's and Naruto's teammate he was still one for the rules. After all, he had been a part of ROOT until being placed on their team after Sasuke died. ROOT was an illegal operation team that was run by Danzo when Tsunade had found out she had not only thrown Danzou in jail but had suspended ROOT operations.

"You know what protocol states," Sai replied. Technically, he was in charge of the mission, but at the end of the day, it was a group effort to get home safely.

"I am not going to leave him," Sakura yelled back, as she ripped off her mask completely off from her head and threw it down. "I am going to back him up," she added feverishly as she ripped off the tell-tale ANBU white chest guard, and then black gloves. "I rather get banned from missions for awhile, then be trash," Sakura spat at him.

Sai rolled his eyes behind his mask. "Ugly now is not the time for dramatics," he countered.

Not wanting to waste any more breath arguing with Sai, Sakura readied herself to take off in the direction of her former teammate. "I'll meet you two back home," she muttered before running off in the direction of Naruto. After she beat up whoever was harming him, the first thing she would do when she got home would be to put Sai in his place.

* * *

Sakura was most likely the most foolish girl he knew in the entire world. Foolish and the lease selfish girl he knew. While on the way home from a mission, her team had come across Naruto and his genin team in distress. Following ANBU protocol, Sai, and the rookie ANBU returned to the village and did not engage. However, Sakura had stripped herself of her ANBU mask and ran fist first into the fight. For the sake of Naruto and his team, Sakura had been perhaps the only reason that everyone had made it home in one peace. Naruto and his genin team had been ambushed by Sasori, a known member of the Akatsuki. As head of ANBU, Itachi was privileged to knowing much about the rouge group of ninjas. From what he heard of the past few months they had been growing interests in the tail-beasts. Apparently, Sasori had attempted to kidnap Naruto when he was distracted training his genin team on a simple message running mission. The strategy was almost successful as Naruto did his best to protect his students, by the time Sakura had arrived Naruto was in need of some backup. The story took a twist, though, sometime during the battle Sakura had managed to stab the puppet master with a pretty life threatening injury- a chakra scalpel to his jugular. In his last moments of life, though, Sasori retaliated and shoved his sword through Sakura's stomach and out her back. Naruto had run her straight home without stopping, leaving his genin team in the dust. Four surgeries and two days later, though, Sakura was still out cold and in the hospital.

The hospital tea he had made himself was nowhere as good as Sakura's usual tea. As he took a sip, Itachi made a mental note of asking her when she woke what brand she used. With a heavy sigh, he looked at the pink-hair ANBU operative in the hospital bed next to him. It was Thursday, and yet neither of them were at the memorial. He had walked past but knew his brother wouldn't want him at the memorial when Sakura was in the hospital hurt. Or at least, that was what Itachi told himself when he found himself sitting in the uncomfortable hospital chair next to Sakura's bed. In truth, he was worried about the girl lying in the bed. The odd twist of fate had put him speaking to the ANBU guards at the gate when Naruto came rushing in with Sakura bleeding out, the blonde hair boy was clearly exhausted and he wouldn't get Sakura to the hospital in time. Almost like so many years ago when he had taken Sasuke out of Sakura's arm, he had taken the fatally-injured Sakura out of Naruto's and rushed her the rest of the way to the hospital. He closed his eyes shut thinking about having Sakura in his arms fighting for his life, it was something he never wanted to happen again. If he could he would ask for her resignation from ANBU, after seeing her so close to death he didn't like the tough of her risking her precious life anymore.

Precious.

Sakura's life had always been precious. Over time, though, Sakura had become precious to him. It had hit him the moment he had placed her on a gurney and watched her be carted away to the operating room. Suddenly, he was standing in the hospital covered in her blood wondering if she would survive. Every part of him had become infatuated with the girl lying in the bed next to him. The past year she had literally gone from a girl to a woman. It seemed joining ANBU had washed away the last of her childish ways, and ever since she had given her that first cup of good tea, he had become smitten. Now, he wondered if he would ever get the chance to act on the budding feelings he knew he had for the girl.

" 'tachi?" His eyes widen at the soft word that came out of Sakura's small pink lips. Her green eyes were barely opened, the bright viridian irises contrasting with the dark hollows underneath them. "Naruto?" She murmured, her quiet words showcasing her worry.

"He's alright," Itachi stated, hitting the call button next to her bed to alert the nurses she was up. "You were impaled by a sword you've been out for two days," he added.

Sakura grimaced as she tried to set up, but Itachi gently put his hand on her shoulders indicating for her to remain laying down. "I feel like I've been hit by a boulder," she muttered as her head hit her pillow again. "God, does Shihsou not have me on any pain killers?" She groaned out, as the door open.

"She does," came the firm voice of the Hokage as she walked into the room. Tsunade had personally taken over caring for Sakura, and Itachi knew that every nurse that tended to the girl had to directly report back to the Hokage. "I lowered your dose yesterday, so you would wake up," she grumbled as began checking off the girl's vitals. Itachi caught wind of the few pointed glances from the Hokage, but he didn't move. If the Hokage wanted him gone, she would have to ask.

"Any dizziness or nausea?" Tsunade asked as she shined a small flashlight into Sakura's eye. The pink hair girl shook her head. "Good," the homage said as he put the flashlight back in her pocket. "You are going to be here for a few days at most, and no missions until I say so," the Hokage glared at him. "Uchiha go to my office now, I'll speak to you after I have checked Sakura's injuries. Reluctantly, Itachi did what his Hokage asked off, only because knew he needed to go to her office for a different matter.

Itachi didn't waste any time making himself at home in the Hokage's office. He had been in the office more time then could count. Most of his days seemed to either start or end in the office, as he was always dealing with ANBU business. Today though he wasn't her just for ANBU business, today he was taking a step in ensuring Sakura's safety. Pulling out a blank form from one of the numerous filing cabinet's, Itachi took a stray pen off from the Hokage's desk before settling in the chair in front of it. With his pristine handwriting, he filled the form out not hesitating on a single question it dared ask.

"You better not be filling out a request for leave-time Uchiha," Tsunade stated her temper flaring as she walked into the room. She gave him a glare as she sat behind her desk. Usually, Tsunade was cordial with him. Today he knew that she was edge because her favorite and only student was still in the hospital.

"No Hokage-sama," Itachi replied, before slipping the piece of paper to the Hokage. Instantly she raised her eye at him. "I believe you know what the form entails," he said.

"Yes," she paused as she eyed a pen on the table. "Why haven't I thought of this before?" The Hokage questioned.

The Uchiha heir shrugged. The thought had only crossed his mind as the tried to sleep last night. Sakura wasn't from a clan, a fact that wasn't a problem when she was a minor and just a jōnin. Now, at eighteen and ANBU, she was, by all means, expendable in the eyes of the council and other higher ups. As long as he was head of ANBU and Tsunade was the Hokage, she was protected from suicide and seduction missions. However the days were numbered for Tsunade's tenure as Hokage, and he had no desire to be Head of ANBU his entire life. The little piece of paper though would protect Sakura even when they could not.

"Fugaku will murder me if I sign this," Tsunade mumbled as looked at Itachi. "Does he know?" She questioned looking at Itachi.

"No. My father does not need to know, the form says that a clan heir counts as approval as well as the clan head," Itachi answered. "Tou-san would not approve, but Kaa-san would if that is of any help."

Itachi knew why Tsunade was holding back from signing the paper. The paper would declare Sakura an honorary member of the Uchiha clan, and declare her a person of interest to the Clan. Simply being an honorary member would not give her complete protection, but being a person of interest would. A person of interest was someone who was labeled by the head of the clan or the heir, that they were someone they deemed not only worthy of marrying into their clan but someone who would most likely. His father had not let such things be practiced for the fact they were not used as they should be, as ways to formally declared someone's intention into marrying into the clan. Instead, it as used the very way Itachi was using it, to protect someone.

"Your mother isn't on the council or the head of the police, Uchiha," She countered back. "If I sign this your father will have my neck."

"Simply point out to my father it was I, who put in the request and I am sure his anger will become redirected towards me," Itachi said. His father would be furious when he found out, but Itachi was willing to pay the price whatever it may be. "It is to protect Sakura, Hokage-sama."

"Why are you suddenly concerned about my student's safety?" Itachi didn't answer the question, earning a pointed look from the Hokage. "Answer me, you are speaking with youth Hokage do I need to remind you Uchiha?"

Itachi sighed. "Sasuke saved her life, I am just honoring my brother's legacy by doing the same," he stated. It was the lie he told himself like a mantra. Sakura was his brother's living legacy, to Itachi that wasn't everything Sakura was. As he watched be rushed into the operating room, the moments he didn't he know he held dear seemed to rush through his mind. The image of Sakura as a little girl running around the compound with his brother and Naruto was the first that crossed his mind. The second was Sakura hugging him with tears in her eyes after he returned from trying to end Orochimaru. The third was the last time he saw her before she went on the mission and she was simply smiling at him.

"Uchiha you are normally a better liar," Tsunade commented. "Whatever you are up to with her, remember she is more than just my student," she added with a threatening tone.

"I just wish to protect Sakura, Hokage-sama," Itachi paused, "Please sign the form," he added with a pleading tone. Wordlessly, Tsunade uncapped her pen and scribbled her signature on the form. Then she reached for her stamp and placed the official seal of the Hokage on the paper. The Hokage then handed him the formed and ordered him to have it filed immediately, and he left with quite thank you.

* * *

After being awake for three days, Sakura had yet to see Itachi. The lack of the Uchiha heir 's presence shouldn't bother her, but it did. Even with the constant company of Naruto, Ino, and even Kakashi she found herself longing for her mysterious captain. He hadn't visited her since she woke up, and in ways, she wondered why he had visited her at all. Even though he was dedicated to his job, Sakura knew Uchiha Itachi did not come to the hospital and sit by his other bedridden operatives. Yet, his dark haunting eyes on her were the first thing she saw when she awoke. Strange enough when she saw him sitting next to her it wasn't unsettling, but it comforting. Three days of silence, though, had her mind running through more scenarios than she could imagine. Now, finally released from the hospital, Sakura was going to take the matter into her own hands.

"I am on leave for another month and a half," Sakura said as she stood in front of Itachi's desk in the ANBU headquarters. She threw down the pink slip from the hospital which explained that her injury was too severe to take on ANBU missions. Itachi looked at it wordlessly and Shikamura who stood next to him muttered his own catch breathe underneath his breath. It was obvious that she most likely was scheduled for missions coming up, which means the schedule would have to be rearranged.

"Nara see who is available to take Sakura's position for the mission next week," he paused looking at the Nara Clan hair. "I need a moment with Haruno-san," Itachi's eyes drifted from Shikamaru to herself.

Nara sighed, and sent her a sympathetic look as he walked out of the office. "Haruno-san?" Sakura question irritated by his use of her last name. The last time they talked, really talked, she had outright given him permission to use her first name. Then again, that was before he left her without a word for three days.

"How are you feeling?" The Head of the ANBU asked, ignoring her irritated question.

Sakura suppressed an eye roll. "Fine," she stated, her chosen word spoken in a short and stubborn mood. Her green eyes watched Itachi's chest rise and fall with a deep breath he took most likely to ease his frustrations with her.

"Why are you here, Sakura?" He asked, looking at her. "I knew you were out for at least a month and a half, you didn't need to hand in your medical excuse yourself."

Sakura was quiet for a few moments. It was obvious something had changed since she last Itachi. The last time she had seen him, it was like he cared about her. Perhaps, she was foolish to think that he, Uchiha Itachi, the pride of the Uchiha Clan and one of the greatest shinobi in all the five countries could care for her in more than a strictly platonic way.

"Forget it," she murmured before turning away and made her way for the door. However, when her fingers just grazed the cool metal of the doorknob she felt a slight tug on her arm, keeping her in place.

"Tell me, Sakura," Itachi said quietly in her ear. His voice was warm and demanding and had sent conflicting messages throughout her body.

Slowly, Sakura turned to face him. "Why were you there when I woke up, but you never came back?" She asked, her voice hesitant and unwary.

Itachi's eyes were not his usual unreadable coal. Instead, shed could see the surprise he felt by her question. It seemed, she had done the unimaginable, she had caught Uchiha Itachi off guard. "It was inconsiderate for me to not come see you again," he paused as he calculated his next words. "Hospitals are not my favorite place, I only went because it was Thursday," he offered.

Sakura pulled her arm that was still in his grasp away. She felt as if she had been pitied as if she was an afterthought. How could she be so foolish, Itachi still saw her as a little girl. Days ago when she thought differently she was wrong, she was just his pity case. The girl his brother saved so he felt inclined to keep an eye out for her. "I am not one who needs to be pitied, Itachi," she spat out, her emotions inside of her soaring. "If I am just some chore to see on Thursdays don't feel obligated to come."

Itachi furrowed his eyebrows. "I didn't mean it like that," he hissed, grabbing bother her shoulders and looking into her eyes. "I had to carry you, bleeding from the village gates to the hospital. I came to see you because I needed to know you were okay. Once I did, I realized why you were there, I had sent you on that mission and I couldn't handle the fact that you almost didn't come back because of me."

Sakura was shaking, physically shaking in the arms of Uchiha Itachi whose words confirmed her heart's dream; he did care. In his own way, Itachi did care, he just didn't know the best way of expressing it. "It wouldn't have been your fault, Itachi," she murmured looking into his eyes. "I accepted the mission, I ran after Naruto," Sakura paused. "It wouldn't have been your fault, Itachi."

The man before her eyes soften, and she hesitantly wrapped her arms around him. Immediately he stiffened before he slowly but surely relaxed. "Don't get hurt again, Sakura," he murmured into her hair. However, Sakura knew there was more meaning to behind those words, to this moment. Itachi was slowly, but surely showing her that he did, in fact, care about her. She would just have to patiently wait as he opened himself up fully, but Sakura knew it would be worth it.

* * *

Thanks so much for reading! Thank you to all those who have read and supported this story in their own way! It means so much, I hope to update soon!

Pretty please with sugar on top leave a review :)

Until next time,

PinkyJade


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything**

* * *

 **Chapter Five**

Sleep was something that did not come easily to her after leaving the ANBU office. After reluctantly, pulling away from Itachi, Sakura scurried out of the building and retreated to her apartment. If she had stayed longer she probably would have made another hasty accusation and she didn't want to do that. No, whatever was going on with her and Itachi needed to be handled carefully with utmost sensitivity. The precious little friendship they had now was already scared to her and she did not wish to lose it. The next move would have to come from Itachi, she would not proceed further until he had made his own move in some shape or form. It would be hard, waiting, especially knowing the Uchiha clan heir. Itachi did not act impulsively, everything he did was calculated to precision .There was no doubt in Sakura's mind that he probably had analyzed their actions in that office after she left, or at least she did. All night as she tried her hardest to sleep, her mind replayed every word and every action over and over again. Sleep never did come. With a heavy sigh, she heard a heavy knock on her door. Her eyes fluttered open and the alarm clock red digits claimed it was already ten o'clock in the morning. Slowly sitting up, Sakura stretched before getting out of bed. There was no doubt in her mind that it was Naruto demanding to see her. He usually was done with training his team by now, unless they were sent off on some D-level mission. Half way asleep, Sakura made her way through her small living room and to the front door of her apartment. Robotically, she unlocked the latches of the door and opened it.

Mesmerizing ebony eyes meet hers and Sakura was quick to realize it wasn't Naruto who had woken her up. "Itachi?" She questioned, as her eyes widen a little bit more. Suddenly, she was becoming very aware of the fact she was in nothing but her large sleep shirt, sans pants and bra. It was hardly appropriate clothing to be in front of Itachi in, especially when he was dressed for the day in a gray, Uchiha high collared shirt and black pants.

"I came to inquire if you wished to come to breakfast with me?" This was now the second time that Itachi had showed up unannounced at her house. "But perhaps you wish to go back to sleep," he added, hinting at her rather slept in appearance.

If it was anyone else, or Naruto, she would tell them to come back in a few hours so she could sleep more. Itachi wasn't anyone else, he was Itachi. Refuting him would send everything to a complete and utter standstill. After all, it had taken them almost six years to start talking to one another.

"No," Sakura began trying to think about what to say. "It's fine really, I can go get dressed and uhm," she trailed off nervously.

Itachi must have sensed something was off with her, for those dark eyes of his were lightening up as if he had spotted an enemy ninja while out on a mission. "I think it would be best if I come back around dinner time," he offered, his words smooth and unwavering. "Is seven alright with you?" The Uchiha heir added.

Sakura's half asleep mind was suddenly awake. Her inner-self was going wild with thoughts, that the Uchiha Itachi had asked them to dinner. "Yes," Sakura breathed out, trying to keep all her rapid thoughts at bay.

Itachi nodded his head, "I'll see you then," he said vaguely, before leaving her in her doorway perplexed about what had just happened.

Was she going on a date with Uchiha Itachi?

* * *

Dates were frivolous and pointless to Itachi, and he never quite understood the purpose of them. As educated as he was, he knew dates were supposed to be a way to see if one was compatible with another one. Yet, he found them pointless. Perhaps, it was because he trusted his instincts too much. His parents had made him offer dates to other girls before until they realized their efforts were fruitless. The Uchiha clan learned very quickly that their heir would not be forced into anything, especially something such as the company of the fairer sex. Itachi was thankful that his clan, for once, had seemed to think logically and not illogically when it came to the subject of him dating a few years ago. Now, it seemed that he was about to part with something he had found so frivolous before. Uchiha Itachi was taking the pink hair beauty, Hokage's student, and his little's brother former teammate on a date.

Dating Sakura wasn't frivolous in his brain. Sakura was very much someone he cared for already, and only recently he began to realize their age gap was no long just that an age gap. She had mature and no longer was a little twelve-year-old gennin. Or rather in his mind, it was not dating. Dating in his mind was nothing but mutual feelings and engaging in those feelings. Dating held no promise, only the Hope that a promise would one day come. If anything were to come of this dinner he would be honorable and court her in a just way. Sakura deserved that, she deserved to know his intentions and not that she was not something that he could walk all over. To him, Sakura was precious, she had been precious to him ever since Sasuke had saved her. Or perhaps even before that moment.

As a young girl, Sakura had been a predominate figure in Sasuke's life. At first, his little brother thought of Sakura as nothing but an annoying girl with a crush on him. Itachi had listened for hours of Sasuke's rants on how the little pink hair girl always seemed to find new ways to annoy him- something that Itachi could not help but find amusing. As a brother, Itachi had always appreciated how the little pink hair girl always seemed to hold a watchful eye of his little brother on missions. It was reassuring, that someone was caring towards his brother on missions. Yet, Itachi remembered the nights were his brother's team would come over for dinner. Those nights always ended in Itachi having to walk the two others home, and he would always walk Sakura home last. It was mostly done on the fact, he wished to get rid of Naruto as soon as possible, but in the back of his head, he didn't mind Sakura's always cheerful personality. If Sasuke had lived, maybe it would be he and Sakura going on a date. The utter of twist of faith, though, had not brought Sakura and Sasuke together, instead, it seemed it had brought the elder Uchiha brother and pink hair ninja close.

Now, he was sitting across from Sakura in a quaint, upscale restaurant in a more civilian populated part of the village. He was enraptured by every little quirk about her. From how her eyes lit up when she talked about her day, or how eyebrows scrunched up when she was concentrating. They were quirks he always had noticed about her but had always pushed his way where thoughts back into the deepest corners of his mind. Now, for once in his life he was allowing himself to live life in a way that he hadn't before. Ever since he could remember he always lived life for others, the clan, the village, the ANBU, but now as he sat enjoying Sakura's company he was living life for himself.

"Ne, Itachi aren't the stars pretty tonight?" Sakura said as her eyes wondered up to the vast sky above them as they walked out of the restaurant. The sky was dark above them and the stars were bright despite the disturbance of the street lamps and tall buildings. Personally, he loved gazing out at the sky at night. It was relaxing and grounded him to reality, especially when he was away on missions. However, the only place in Kohona that the star was the clearest was on top of the Hokage monument.

"Come on," Itachi said as he hesitantly took her hand. His skilled eyes caught her flush cheeks, and he knew that even she was caught off guard by his affection. Holding her hand didn't seem like a duty, or that of being guided, instead it felt like comfort. With her hand in his, Itachi felt a little bit lighter and warm.

"Where are we going Itachi?" Sakura asked as he navigated them through the busy streets of Kohona. It was a Friday night, and civilians and shinobi alike were celebrating the start of the weekend, or at least the civilians were. Most shinobi didn't work a normal Monday through Friday schedule. Most days, Itachi found himself in the ANBU offices, as the Black Ops always needed the attention of a superior.

"You'll see," Itachi found himself saying as they turned off the paved road, and onto a small gravel path. The path led all the way up to the top of Hokage monument, and Itachi led Sakura all the way up the winding path. The top of the monument was nothing but lush green grass, nothing was distracting from the beauty of the twinkling stars above them or the flickering of the village below them.

"It's so peaceful up here," Sakura whispered as they stood at the edge of the Hokage Rock.

"I come here often when I can't sleep," Itachi stated as he sat on the edge of the cliff, his legs dangling over the edge of the rocky mountain that had been carved to highlight the faces over their beloved Hokages.

"You have trouble sleeping too?" Sakura asked as she settled next to him.

Itachi nodded, highly aware of the tiny space between them. Their hands were right net to each other laying flat against the grass, but not touching. Suddenly, he longed to touch the smoothness of her skin, to be encompassed by the feeling it gave him. "Yes," he answered, truthful as he let his fingers intertwine with hers. "I've been ANBU for a decade, and the result restless nights."

"It never gets easier does it?" She questioned quietly, as her fingers tightened around his. "The guilt? For everything that we do? Everything that we've caused, the people we've lost."

Usually, his answer was a solid no, but as he looked in Sakura's green eyes he for once in his life was at peace with himself. Perhaps, the guilt for all the lives he had taken could be washed away with the look of someone that might just care for him. "I think it can," He hopefully replied.

Sakura's peachy tinted lips slowly twisted up in a smile. Her green eyes shining brighter than any of the night sky's stars. It was in that moment, Uchiha Itachi had realized how far deep he had allowed himself to fall. Sakura who was probably oblivious to how far reaching his affections were, had broken the barriers to his heart. As rash as he knew it was, Uchiha Itachi knew that he not falling in love with Haruno Sakura, because he was already in love with her.

* * *

Sakura hummed happily as she cut the stems of the white roses, Ino had given her to arrange. It had been few weeks since she had been able to hang out with her blonde female best friend, and so Sakura had agreed to help Ino on her flower store shift. When they were younger, they had spent hours together in the shop helping Ino's mother arranges bouquets. Years later, it was second nature to Sakura who was familiar with Yamanaka family's business. Today, she was jealous of whatever girl would be receiving the white rose bouquet with accents of baby's breath. Ino had told her to arrange the bouquet on the very account it was Sakura's favorite. The simplistic beauty of the flowers and their sweet scent had always held a special place in Sakura's heart for some unknown reason. Of all the exotic colors of flowers she could choose from, Sakura chose the most simplistic.

"So," Ino smirked as she clipped some leaves of some camellias. "A little bird told me they have seen you out with a certain Uchiha," she finished giving her a pointed look.

Sakura placed down her clippers on the work table they were standing at. "I have no idea what you are talking about," Sakura replied. As much as Ino was her best friend the girl could not keep her mouth shut. Sometimes, Sakura wondered how Ino was a ninja at all, she had just as big of mouth as Naruto.

Ino rolled her eyes, and place both her hands on her hips. "Out with it Sakura! You went on a date with Uchiha Itachi and didn't tell me! Or Naruto for that matter! We had to find out from some genin who just happened to be in the right place at the right time!" Ino exclaimed.

Sakura sighed. The people of her village literally had too much time on their hands. Instead of the Village Hidden in Leaves, Sakura pondered it should be renamed to Village of the Gossipers. "We went out to dinner," Sakura stated. It had been two days since her date and seemed she would not be able to avoided Ino's questioning much longer.

"And?" Ino questioned her eyes lightening up with excitement. "Just dinner, no romancing that shouldn't happen before marriage?" She teased.

"Ino!" Sakura shouted, her cheeks blushing. At age eighteen, Sakura hadn't even been kissed yet. She knew she was far behind her peers in the dating department, but the few people who had approached her over the years had never seemed right.

Ino shrugged and went back to working on her flower arrangement. "I can't ask? I mean if I was you, Forehead I would have tried to get a little kiss out of him," Ino remarked.

"We held hands," Sakura muttered. At the time holding hands seemed right, but now Ino had questions running through her mind. Maybe Itachi didn't like her like that? Perhaps, he had deemed her unworthy of a further sign of affection.

"Well, you must have done something right," Ino replied with a smile on her face. "I mean it 's Itachi, even his clan didn't try to get the boy to date. They knew he wasn't one for affections. How'd you manage to get the boy wrapped around your finger is beyond me."

"He is not wrapped around my finger, Ino-pig," Sakura said. They had only been on one date, it's not like they were married or anything.

"Oh yes, he is," Ino said with a grin on her face. "While this morning he ordered a bouquet of white roses for a certain someone," she added, with a knowing look.

Realization hit her, Itachi had order her flowers. Then slowly she looked down at the bouquet she was working on. "INO HOW DARE YOU MAKE ME ARRANGE MY OWN GIFT!" Sakura yelled, in disbelief of the stunt had pulled.

Ino laughed, apparently amused with herself and her actions. "That's what you get for not telling your best friend you were going on date with an Uchiha!"

"It's not that big of a deal, Ino!" Sakura replied, her voice soft and quiet. "I mean, there's nothing that can happen with us but heartbreak. I am not someone his family will accept."

Ino's eyes soften in understanding. She knew the guilt that Sakura carried about Sasuke, and better yet she knew how Sakura felt the Uchiha Head family blamed her. "Sakura it's not your fault. Itachi obviously doesn't blame you, and he loved Sasuke more than anyone," Ino paused. "From what I can tell, I think he really cares about you."

Sakura smiled a little. Ino knew her better than most people, and with uncanny ability to read people, Sakura knew she could trust her opinion. If Ino felt that Itachi cared about her, that meant a lot to Sakura. She didn't know what the future held for her and Itachi, or if there was any future. However, after their date Sakura's mind was filled with fantasies. Dreams of Uchiha crests adorning her clothes, a small simple band on her finger, and even little feet clad with dark hair filled her mind. They had known each other for years, and Sakura felt fluster about all her sudden emotions towards Itachi. It was so odd how her heart had welcome these feeling so quickly, and it was even more strange how her mind was willingly accepting them.

* * *

Sakura grimaced as her teacher slowly peeled off the bandage that was covering the wound on her stomach. Tsunade had only been able to manage to heal some of her wound with chakra, leaving it up to time and nature to do the rest. The medic-nin tensed as the Hokage wiped down the thick stitches held together her creamy skin. Although she a medic-nin Sakura was not used to being patient. Sitting on her teacher's desk and letting her care for her was something foreign to Sakura. The pinkette was the one who was doing the healing for others, this was her first serious injury in her career. Most of her injuries she had always healed herself, but her wound was not only on her stomach but her back as well, making it impossible for heal herself.

"You are healing slower than I would like," Tsunade muttered as she began placing fresh bandages on Sakura's stomach. "You haven't been training have you?" She asked.

Sakura shook her head. The only work she had done lately was the small arrangements she had helped Ino with early in the morning. Her wounds were still sore as they were only a week old. Even though she wished to train and go about her normal day, Sakura knew that wasn't an option. Currently, even her hospital duties were slashed in half.

"You haven't been doing any strenuous activities?" Tsunade asked her eyebrow raising. "With a certain Uchiha by chance," the Hokage added.

Sakura's mouth went dry. How did her teacher now that she went on a date with Itachi? Or why was she excusing her of sleeping with Itachi? "Shisou!" Sakura exclaimed. "I haven't done anything with Itachi!"

Tsunade sighed as she walked around to Sakura's backside. "I thought I taught you better!" Tsunade replied as she took off the bandages that covered the wound on Sakura's back. "If an attractive man seeks you out, you lure him in your bed while your still young!"

"Shisou!" Sakura yelled, embarrassed by the conversation. For eighteen years, Sakura had lived her life not even kissing a boy, much less sleeping with one. Yet, her teacher was telling her to give herself away like it meant nothing.

"I know we are talking about Uchiha here, but," Tsunade paused as Sakura hissed from the antiseptic that was being rubbed on her wound. "He's a very good shinobi, great leader, but not when it comes to relationships."

"We just went on one date!" Sakura managed to hiss out as her Tsunade continued to wipe down her wound. "It's not like I am going to hop into bed with him the first date!" She yelled as the door to the Hokage's office opened up.

Sakura paled as her eye's meet the recognizable mask of a white cat with black markings. She knew that ANBU mask from anywhere it was the one Itachi used while he was in the village. If it wasn't the mask that gave him it away, it was his tall height and stature. Or perhaps how her heart skipped a beat the moment she saw him as if her heart knew how he was even if her mind took a moment to recognize him.

"ANBU-Taichou," Tsunade smirked. "Excellent timing, I was about to send someone to gather you in a few moments to discuss your findings," she said vaguely.

Sakura's head titled at her mentor's words. She wondered what Itachi had found, or what it was about. From the mask Itachi was wearing, it was obvious it had to do something with internal matters. Usually, Sakura knew about top secret troubles within the village with Tsunade being her teacher. Yet, it seemed that her teacher had managed for once to be tight lipped about something going on.

"Alright, Sakura," Tsunade murmured as she quickly placed bandages on her back. "I need you to meet up with Shizune at the hospital and proof her reports on some new medicines, I expect you to report back to me tomorrow," Tsunade stated. Sakura nodded as she pulled the loose black shirt she wore today down to cover her exposed skin. Without having to be told, she made her way out of the office, careful to avoid the daring black eyes behind the mask.

* * *

Itachi waited for Sakura to close the door behind her before he lifted up his mask. If he had known she would be in the office, her tempting skin on display, he would have waited or knock for that matter. However, he knew that his status of Head of the ANBU allowed him entrance into Hokage's office at all times. It just never would have occurred to him that he would have been tempted to reach out and touch the creamy skin of Sakura's stomach, or kiss the areas the had been badly wounded. It was odd, that even when he was trying to be professional he couldn't push his thought about her away.

"The information?" Tsunade asked as she settled in her large chair behind her desk.

"We've been questioning the new Sound refugees, there's only ten," Itachi began as he crossed his arms. "Civilians they don't know anything, however, one of them claimed that a Suna immigrant looked familiar."

Tsunade sighed, "Get to the point Uchiha."

"The Suna immigrant's name is Hoga Koba," Itachi said. "I messaged the Kazekage and there is no record of a Hoga Koba in Suna or any other town in the Wind Country. I believe he may be a spy from Sound. I need your permission to survey him since he's applied for citizenship."

Tsunade rubbed her temples, obviously frustrated with his words. The intel he knew was a stretch, but they couldn't risk a Koba being a spy. "I'll allow it for a month, then I want a progress report. What's the intel about Akatsuki?"

"I met with Jiraiya at the meeting point this weekend, they seem for now to have accepted Orochimaru back into the organization," Itachi informed. Years ago, Orochimaru had left the Atasuki. Yet, it was surprising that he had rejoined it willingly. The thought of the two working together was one the worry Itachi, he knew that combined they would not be easy forces to stop.

"Orochimaru's only goal in life has been to find a vessel that will give him immortality," Tsunade began, "Why would he join Akatsuki again?"

"I do not know, but this with the combined fact he stole an archived Hokage file has me conceived that his plans somehow revolve around our village," Itachi stated. When he had told Tsunade months ago about the stolen file, she had seemed unconcerned. Now, it was obvious that Orochimaru and the Akatsuki were plotting something against the village.

"Senesi has so many files it's nearly impossible to figure out what exactly was in that file," Tsunade mumbled as she pulled out her trusty bottle of sake from the desk drawer. She didn't even bother with a glass, but instead took a quick sip from the bottle, before placing it on the desk. "The file before it was about a woman named Inoshishi Kanna from Sound who gave up her child to the village."

Itachi's eyes widen. Couldn't it be? "Was the child Sakura?" Itachi asked, the answer already formed in his head.

Tsunade looked at him as if he was insane, but slowly her eyes soften. "Shizune said the baby was born in March in Sound," she paused. "The next file was about future academy genin teams, Senesi had already decided Team 7 would be a team, even as infants."

Thoughts were running through Itachi's mind like wildfire. The two files surrounding the missing file had a leak to Sakura. It was only plausible that file that was stolen was about Sakura. The last time Orochimaru had attacked he had gone after her as a girl, and now it seemed he was either covering his tracks or-

"Sakura is the target."

* * *

AN: Thanks so much for reading! Also, I loved to hear what you think of this story! Review!


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